<p>I was hoping that some of the parents who have already been through the application process can help me. I've tried searching the old posts but could not find an answer. Many schools offer interviews before their applications become available. If you choose to interview before applying should you bring a resume? Are their any drawbacks of interviewing before applying? Also if interviewing before applying how does the admission committee keep track of the applicant if there is no application? I'm sorry if these seem like silly questions but I am very curious. Thank you in advance :)</p>
<p>I don't know if my daughter's experience is typical, but she did a student interview at Brown the summer before she applied. (she was spending the summer up there). She actually didn't feel the interview went all that great, in that she felt she didn't really "click" with the student. However, after she applied EA (this was in 2000), she was offered an alumni interview in the fall. She was thrilled to have a second opportunity, and the interview went great. So, we always wondered whether the record of that first interview never went with her application, or if, because it was a student, they wanted to also give the chance to meet with an alumnus. In any case, based on that experience, I think that perhaps it might be better to wait until after you've sent the application in, unless you think that would diminish your chances to get an interview at all, or the school seems to have a preference for pre-application interviews. And yes, I would always bring a resume.</p>
<p>If you are interviewing with an admissions rep at the school, get an unofficial copy (usually just a xerox) of HS transcript and make a copy for each school where you will interview. The rep will appreciate this small effort to let him see the work so far, and will create a file for transcipt and any notes he makes or any more info provided before the app arrives, to be matched with your app later in the process. If you don't apply there, the file will be purged with all the others that don't apply sometime after the app deadline.</p>
<p>My S did all of his interviews with admissions reps early in the fall, prior to submitting apps-all positive experiences. Bring a copy of your transcript and a resume. Some reps will keep them, some will not, but best to be prepared. </p>
<p>Remember that interviews are two-way affairs. Bring a list of questions and use this opportunity to find out as much about the school as possible. My S decided not to apply to one of the schools he interviewed with based on some of the information he obtained in the interview.</p>
<p>Don't forget to send a thank you note the next day. Good luck.</p>
<p>ANd dress appropriately</p>
<p>Usually getting an on-campus interview before applying shows that you are very interested and when you do apply it will show that you took the initiative to interview on campus. Many schools will also offer you an alumni interview which is optional so you might get a second chance. On-campus interviews may seem more intense because you're interviewing with an admissions rep or a student (I always think peers are less forgiving) so it depends on whether you think you're ready.</p>
<p>On this website there are several links under the heading Interviews which give interview advice.</p>
<p>Yes, it's a great idea to bring a resume, transcript as well as anything else that shows your D's talents.</p>
<p>I know someone who got a scholarship at Rhodes College by bringing some of her art to her interview.</p>
<p>Before the interview, I suggest that your D familiarize herself with the college by thoroughly examining their web site, and by taking a tour if possible. She should come prepared to ask some questions that are not answered on the web site. Nothing (except giving a reason for applying that has nothing to do with the college -- such as thinking that a college is co-ed when it's not) is more of a turnoff than when a student asks questions that are clearly answered on the website.</p>
<p>My S interviewed with none of the schools (including reaches) who admitted him. I'm not sure how helpful it really is. </p>
<p>At one of our campus visits I got into a friendly chat with a high ranking top tier admissions official and asked just how important the interview was. The official smiled and said it had more to do with marketing than admit decisions and that the interview had little weight.</p>
<p>The importance of the interview depends on the school. At some, demonstrating interest by undergoing an interview is important -- particularly when applicants live relatively nearby. For others, interviews are not factors at all.</p>
<p>Often you can find out specifics about the interview's importance at specific colleges by examining the college's web site or by asking here on CC.</p>
<p>I agree about demonstrating interest. The interview may indeed be important in this regard, as are visits, emails, and the "love" shown in the application. The love is not only for the school, but for learning. One of my favorite quotes is from a Newsweek article: </p>
<p>"This buyer's market allows the admissions staff to consider a delectable question: if nearly every applicant is qualified, then who is most desirable? For Chicago, the answer is the high-end student who embraces complex ideas and ceaseless discussion, who reads "Anna Karenina" and can't wait to tell someone about it. "We tell people we're seeking rigor," O'Neill [Admissions Dean] confides one brittle December day, walking through a sunlit stone quadrangle. "What we're really seeking is love."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.scfun.net/sceduc-cl-newsweek.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.scfun.net/sceduc-cl-newsweek.pdf</a></p>